No intention to topple BJP Govt.: Yeddyurappa

"Our aim is not to topple the Government," Mr. Yeddyurappa, who quit the BJP nearly two months ago, told reporters in Bangalore.

Days after 13 of his loyalist MLAs in the ruling BJP announced their resignations pushing the government into a crisis, Karnataka Janata Paksha (KJP) supremo B.S. Yeddyurappa on Monday said he has no intention to topple the Shettar Government in Karnataka and indicated that he is not averse to the presentation of budget by it on February 8.

“Our aim is not to topple the Government,” Mr. Yeddyurappa, who quit the BJP nearly two months ago, told reporters in Bagalaore.

He said that if he had indeed wanted the collapse of the government, he would have done it on December 9 itself by getting the BJP MLAs (who shared the stage with him at the formal launch of his party) to resign then itself.

Referring to the 13 BJP MLAs who wanted to resign, he said they are joining the KJP to strengthen it as the elections are fast approaching. “The intention of these MLAs is not to topple the government.”

On the charge that he is pulling out MLAs from the BJP to prevent Mr. Shettar from presenting the budget, Mr. Yeddyurappa said: “Had I wanted to oppose the budget presentation, I would have got 20 MLAs to resign at one go. We don’t have such intention.”

Mr. Yeddyurappa had said in the past that he does not want to take the blame if the Government were to fall, indicating that the KJP should not be seen to be behind the exit of the Government headed by Mr. Shettar, a leader of the prominent Lingayat community from north Karnataka.

But, at the same time, the former Chief Minister had several times attacked Mr. Shettar, saying that he is “shameless” as he continues to be in office despite the Government being reduced to a “minority.”

The 13 MLAs’ attempt to submit their resignations to the Speaker on January 23 failed as he was not in station, following which they handed over copies of their resignation letters to Governor H R Bhardwaj.